To the outsider, there does seem to be an incredible amount of ebb and not too much flow with the Wallabies results.

The Wallabies missed 31 tackles and conceded six tries at Sydney. According to Michael Cheika, the coach of the Wallabies, he is to blame: "I feel like I've let the players down because I haven't put them into a space where they're going to do whatever it takes, especially around defence." And the Wallabies defensive coach Nathan Grey says that it will be "quite easy" to improve the defence at Wellington. "Just being more efficient at our tackle," is the key, apparently.

What about the five lineouts lost on the Wallabies throws at Sydney? Kieran Read and the other All Blacks jumpers exploited the fact that Cheika selected a pack with only one real jumper, Rob Simmons. There is another easy improvement, apparently. Simmons has been dropped. Adam Coleman, playing his second Test, replaces him.

Scott Fardy has been recalled to blindside flanker. Fardy, at his best, is a useful lineout jumper. He is not in the Simmons class. Kane Douglas, who somehow retains his position and Coleman, are running second-rowers, rather than jumpers. David Pocock, who doesn't jump, pass or run, remains at number 8 and has to contend with Kieran Read who made two crucial lineout steals, 16 passes, 17 carries and 11 tackles at Sydney.

That's the lineout fixed, then.

Then we have Cheika defending his selection of the Giteau Law players by arguing that Will Genia was one of the better Wallabies at Sydney. As no Wallabies made Paul Cully's Team of the Test, Cheika's endorsement is misleading. Genia has been retained. Nick Phipps remains on the bench. Nick Frisby, who should be the starter, remains out of the squad.

Matt Giteau lasted 12 minutes before being injured at Sydney. He is replaced by Bernard Foley, who is small like Giteau for the inside centre position. Foley, like the hapless Dane Haylett-Petty, a fullback playing on the wing, is being played out of position, as well.

So that's the kicking game fixed.

Older players, like the captain Stephen Moore, are being allowed to trot around the field like pensioners out on a jog. Adam Ashley-Cooper, the veteran from France, has been retained as a jogging partner, it seems. Ashley-Cooper waited 34 minutes before touching the ball at Sydney. The skill levels in passing and catching of the Wallabies backs hardly matches those of the All Blacks props.

The hard rucking policy used by David Pocock and Michael Hooper does get some turnovers. It also gives away more penalties. Moreover, the players throwing themselves into the rucks create gaps in the defensive line that the All Blacks exploited with ruthless efficiency at Sydney.

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Stirling Mortlock was in the last Wallabies side to win against the All Blacks at Wellington, in 2000. His summary of where the Wallabies are right now is this: "There's set piece issues, there's defence issues, there's kicking issues … there's not many good things going on currently."